Vacuum lifter



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,198

L. JONES VACUUM LIFTER Filed Oct- 29, 1927 gwuanto'o 1.47/4? c/a/ fi WMM Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES LEWIS JONES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VACUUM LIFTER.

Application filed October 29, 1327. Serial No. 229,766.

This invention relates to a vacuum cup or vacuum lifter which is particularly adapted for use in lifting and handling smooth sheets of material such as sheets of steel, glass, and the like.

An important object of my invention is to provide a vacuum cup or lifter provided with means for quickly and easily destroying the vacuum when it is desired to withdraw the vacuum lifter from the material to which it is applied.

Other objects and advantages of my i11- vention will be apparent from the following description.

-In the drawing I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention. In this showa,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my deviceshowing the relative position of the hand of the operator when the device is used.

Figure 2 is a transverse section, and

Figure 3 is a transverse section showing the relative positions of the vacuum lifter before and after the releasing means is actuated.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates generally a conical suction member comprising a body portion 11 and a rim portion 12 formed of resilient material, preferably rubber. Attachedto the top of the suction member is a gripping member 13 shaped in the form of a ring. The ring member is joined to the suction member by a neck 14. Extending from the rim 12 to the gripping member 13 are a plurality of fiat or round bands 15 which may be made of any desired material such as cord, wire or canvas strips but preferably consist of nar- {)OW'fltLt relatively inelastic bands of rub- \Vhile I refer to make the portion of my vacuum liter which engages the surface of the article to be lifted, in conical form it will be apparent that it may be made oval or in other shapes without departing from the spirit of my invention since it is the primary purpose of my invention to provide convenient means operable by one or more fingers of the hand operating the lifter for -breaking the vacuum therein irrespective of the form or shape of the vacuum member of the device. It also will be apparent that I may employ with some measure of convenience a single vacuum releasing band instead of two as shown in the drawing.

In the operation of my device as employed in lifting steel sheets to separate them from a pack or pile of sheets, the suction device is placed on the middle finger with the palm of the hand preferably extending upwardly. The device is applied to the sheet and pressure exerted thereon to expel air from with: in the conical member 10. The air pressure on the upper side of the conical member 10 retains the suction device in contact with the sheet. The hand is lifted, thereby raising'the sheet a slight distance so that the other hand of the operator may be inserted under the sheet, and the sheet transferred to any desired position. When it is desired to release the suction device from the sheet the operator merely presses upon the outer portion of the bands ,15 with the other fingers of the hand, or in other words, simply closes the fingers of the hand together, thereby bending the bands 15 into the dotted line positions as shown in Figure 3 and lifting the rim 12 from contact with the sheet. This allows air to enter within the conicalsuction member 10, breaks the vacuum therein and releases the suction device from the sheet.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple suction device which may be uickly andeasily released by merely closing the fingers of the hand together and thereby breaking the vacuum within the conical suction member of the vacuum lifter. 1

Although I have described in detail a preferred form of my invention it is to be understood that changes may be made in the size,

shape and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

I claim:

A vacuum lifter adapted for operation on the hand of the user comprising a suction member of resilient material, a ring shaped gripping member connected thereto and havmg a reduced neck portion, and an 6135- tic band connecting portions of the rim of said suction member at oppositely disposed points with said grippin member, said band being operable by a digit of the hand operating such lifter to raise the edges of the suction member to break the vacuum thereon.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEWIS JONES. 

